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KARACHI, Feb 02 (APP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressing his views on, the anticipated, protest by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman on February 14, warned that obstructing major public roads such as Shaheed-e-Millat Road (Shahrah-e-Faisal), would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken against violators.
Talking to the media after anti-polio campaign on Monday, he again urged parents to fully cooperate with vaccination teams visiting their homes. He advised that if a polio team did not visit a household, parents should immediately approach the nearest Basic Health Unit or inform the local administration to ensure their children are vaccinated.
Shah emphasised that polio eradication efforts must continue until environmental samples test negative for the virus. Citing WHO verification, he categorically stated that polio drops do not cause any illness and appealed to religious scholars, teachers, elected representatives, political leaders and social figures to play their role in convincing people to vaccinate their children.
He further disclosed that he had written to media house owners, requesting them to support the national cause by allocating five to 10 seconds every hour in their bulletins for polio awareness. “This is a national duty, and the media’s cooperation is crucial,” he said.
The chief minister expressed gratitude to WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and all partner organisations for their continued support in the fight against polio, expressing confidence that Pakistan would soon be free from the crippling disease.
On the polio front, Shah emphasised that parents’ cooperation with vaccination teams was crucial and warned that failure to sustain vaccination efforts could undo recent gains. He recalled that Sindh had nearly eradicated polio in 2018, but the interruption caused by caretaker governments led to a resurgence of cases between 2019 and 2021. With persistent campaigns, he said, cases had been reduced to 31 in 2025. The chief minister reaffirmed that Sindh is committed to completely eradicating polio, describing the campaign as a national duty requiring participation from all sectors of society.
On the recent Gul Plaza tragedy, the chief minister said the provincial government had initiated a judicial inquiry and finalised the terms of reference, and was now awaiting action by the chief justice. He confirmed that the families of the victims would receive Rs10 million each in compensation, with 26 cheques already disbursed. He also highlighted ongoing steps to strengthen the fire department and ensure a coordinated disaster response under a unified framework.
The chief minister rejected allegations of using such incidents for political gain, terming them inappropriate. He lauded the collaboration with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in recovering misrecorded forest land and emphasised that Sindh would continue to set governance and transparency benchmarks for other provinces.
On governance, Shah underlined the importance of accountability, noting that any official found underperforming would be removed.
Concluding, he linked public health and governance, reiterating that polio eradication requires sustained campaigns and collective responsibility for the betterment of society. “Every campaign is a national duty. We must all play our role to protect children and serve society,” he said.